Pinder's strike proves decisive

SCHOOLS HOCKEY: ST ANDREW'S 1 MOUNT ANVILLE 0ST ANDREW'S reached their fifth Leinster Senior Cup final in seven years with a 1-0 victory over Mount Anville in yesterday's semi-final at Grange Road; Laura Pinder breaking the deadlock two minutes into extra-time after normal time had failed to separate the schools.

Until then both defences had come out on top, Mount Anville’s in particular hardworked by an Andrew’s side, featuring three members of the Irish under-18 squad – Niamh Atchelor, Gillian Pinder and Chloe Watkins (who is also an Ireland A international) – that had the upper hand for much of the game and created the bulk of the scoring chances.

Mount Anville captain Elaine O’Riordan and Leinster under-18 goalkeeper Rebecca Vaughan led the resistance, ably assisted by fellow defenders Fiona O’Donovan, Hannah Reddy and Aisling Maguire, repeatedly frustrating Andrew’s attempts to convert their greater possession into goals.

Andrew’s began the game brightly, pinning Mount Anville in to their own half for much of the opening quarter, their midfield dominant, but they could find no way through their opponents’ defence.

Buoyed by that resilience Mount Anville’s confidence grew, and it was they who came closest to opening the scoring, Kate Williams firing just wide from the first of two short corners they won in the game (four for Andrew’s). It was earned by Aisling Naughton, the tireless and gifted Leinster under-16 forward who impressed throughout.

Andrew’s stepped up the pressure in the second half, the Watkins’ sisters, Chloe and Courtney, and captain Jenny Doran driving them on from midfield, but Mount Anville, seeking a place in their first Leinster Senior Cup final since 2002 (their victory over Wesley College that day giving them their first success in the competition in 25 years) – nigh on a half a lifetime for some of their players – held out.

Both sides, with much the same squads, lost at the semi-final stage last year, Andrew’s to eventual winners Loreto Beaufort and Mount Anville to Alexandra College, and nervousness at the prospect of falling at the same hurdle may well have been the cause of chances being snatched in the closing stages of normal time, particularly by Andrew’s. And with every missed opportunity their frustration grew.

But just two minutes into extra time Pinder produced the goal – to her team-mates’ evident joy and relief – that proved to be decisive, tapping home from close range after a fine run from Lauren Kingston had created the opening. Mount Anville’s resistance had, then, finally been broken.

Moments later Courtney Watkins almost doubled Andrew’s lead, her shot drifting just right of the goal, but, with their energy spent, Mount Anville could find no way back in to the game.

Andrew’s, winners of the competition in 2003, 2004 and 2006 and beaten finalists in 2007, will seek their fourth Leinster Senior Cup in seven years on March 5th at the same venue, when their opponents will be either defending champions Loreto Beaufort or Mount Sackville, who meet in the second semi-final on Monday (at Wesley College (2.30pm).

ST ANDREWS:T Ellis, N Atchelor, J Donohoe, S Gamble, J Doran (capt), L Kingston, V Taaffe, Chloe Watkins, G Pinder, Courtney Watkins, S Woodroofe. Subs: G Murphy, L Pinder, L Stephens, H Meredith, S Marshall.

MOUNT ANVILLE:R Vaughan, F O'Donovan, H Reddy, E O'Riordan (capt), A Maguire, L Hutchinson, K Williams, L Mathews, J O'Beirne, A Naughton, S Loughran. Subs: A Crotty, A Dooley O'Carroll, J Maguire, N Coady, L Callan. Umpires: M McCarthy and I Ovington.